Redding Responder History

The Redding Responder Study was initiated as a component of the Redding Incident Management Enhancement (RIME) Program. The goals of the RIME program are to leverage technology and communications deployments for emergency communication providers in the RIME region by evaluating agency requirements, providing migration paths and improving incident management.The RIME region consists of 19 counties in northern California, which cover nearly 30% of the State’s area, approximately 25% of the State’s State Highway Lane Miles, and less than 4% of the State’s population. RIME organizations include Caltrans District 2, Caltrans Division of Research and Innovation, Norcal EMS, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and other local and state agencies.

The Redding Responder Study was sponsored by the Caltrans’ Division of Research and Innovation. The Western Transportation Institute at Montana State Universitywas contracted to conduct research and development comprising the study. Research and development was conducted to address the needs of Caltrans District 2, based in Redding. While targeted specifically at the needs of Caltrans District 2, consideration was given to prospective needs of other RIME agencies and other Caltrans districts, including those in urban areas. Research and development was conducted over a two-and-one-half year time period.

The premise behind the Redding Responder Study is that the collection and transmission of digital photographs and other incident information will enhance incident management and help to clear incidents more quickly. Secondary benefits include those associated with the development and implementation of a systematic methodology for collecting and documenting incidents for future analysis and training. The principal challenges include overcoming limited communication capability in the RIME region and achieving a desired ease of use necessary to make such a system usable in the field. While off-the-shelf hardware and software products exist to solve related problems, such products do not adequately address these principal challenges without further integration and development.

We had a video made several years ago to describe the project. The video was recorded near Shasta Dam and at District 2 Headquarters in Redding. Take a look: